This invention relates to portable observation stands and particularly observation stands attachable to a pole, tree or like object.
Various designs for portable observation stands have been disclosed by the prior art. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,230,203 issued to George B. Sweat et al, there is disclosed a tree climbing apparatus including upper and lower support members each in the form of an open frame adapted to encircle the tree trunk with inwardly projecting blades on forward and rearward edges engaging the tree trunk. The user sits on the upper support member and has his feet secured to the lower support member and ascends a tree by alternately disengaging and reengaging the blades of the upper support member and then the lower support member, repositioning the upper or lower support member upwardly when its blades are disengaged from the tree trunk. The use of this apparatus requires coordination and strength to properly reposition the upper and lower supports during a tree climbing operation. Moreover, because the upper and lower support members encircle the tree trunk, the tree climbing apparatus is limited for use with trees having a diameter sufficiently small to permit emplacement of the two support members and the user may not ascend above the height of the first limb. A further shortcoming of this apparatus is that its component parts must be assembled together with fasteners before use, a time consuming and tedious task.
Other arrangements disclosed by the prior art include use of a multi-section pole having foot holds welded to individual metal sections. A flexible line or strap is used for attaching the pole to the object being scaled. One such arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,490 issued to Irvin C. Bandy includes a plurality of tubular sections pivotally interconnected. Another arrangement in U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,983, issued to Don S. Norton, includes a plurality of angle metal sections which are removably interconnected using male/female connectors at either end thereof. Typically four or more sections each about four feet long are used. Although these multi-section scaling poles are relatively easy to erect, they do not provide a compact package for carrying purposes, because the sections, whether collapsed upon one another as in the Bandy arrangement, or disconnected as in the Norton arrangement, must be carried in side-by-side relation with the foot holds projecting outwardly in both directions from each section.